The Heat completely shut-down the Knicks' offense in the first game of the series, holding them to 67 points on April 28. Given how much Miami's defense struggled during the second half of the season, it's definitely nice to see it established early in the postseason. If Game 1 was any indication of things to come, the Heat shouldn't have any problems against the Knicks, and I expect a rather brief series.
LeBron James led Miami's offense on Saturday, putting up 32 points. He did get banged up a bit during the encounter, but that won't stop him from suiting up for Game 2.
Dwyane Wade - who suited up for the first time since he dislocated his finger against the Washington Wizards on April 21 - also played well on Saturday, finishing with 19 points. Mario Chalmers did a good job of directing the Heat's offense in Game 1, and Miami fans can only hope for more of the same from the team's "X-factor."
The Heat might have manhandled the Knicks in the first game of the series, but there is certainly room for improvement. Their free throw shooting and rebounding wasn't anything special, and they'll need to make some adjustments if they want to go far in the playoffs.
"That's part of the mental challenge that you face during the playoffs whether you win or lose, to stay the course and stay objective about it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "At the end of the day, yes, we did some things well in that game. But it's only one game and that's it. We have to put it behind us now. Their game plan hasn't changed. All they're trying to do is get one on our court."
Given how well the Heat have played against the Knicks all year, they should be able to impose their will on Monday.
David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.
Sources:
Associated Press, "Knicks-Heat Preview"
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